


One More Time

by Shinocchi



Category: DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel), DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Anal Sex, Birthday, Bittersweet, Character Development, Emotional, Gap Filler, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Making Love, Plot, Plot Devices, Plothole Fill, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 16:54:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11189361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinocchi/pseuds/Shinocchi
Summary: He's happy with how things are now. Noiz is safe, alive; he'd regained his sensations. Everything has returned to normal and all that they need to do now is to find a balance between their relationship and live the best out of the days they're to share.In which Noiz finds the best way to materialize the memories they share with each other, sharing one day with Aoba one month after he's discharged, which that very day had in turn become a day both Noiz and Aoba would never forget for the rest of their life.A not-yet-boyfriend story written for Noiz's birthday!





	One More Time

Everything that had happened before the Platinum Jail incident felt like a lingering dream each of them had ventured into by their own will. Time only started flowing when they woke; it was then that they finally felt like they’re properly living, no longer held back by the chains of restraint. The differences between those two times were trivial; they weren’t things that their naked eyes could see. Everything felt normal, as if nothing had changed. Everything they once knew stood on a standstill – people around then were still very much like how they remembered them to be, places surrounding them still had the same ambiance they loved, and above all, everything that they had believed to happen, that have gotten better, were a dream come true.

When Aoba walked out of the house, he stopped after a few swift strides, looking back his shoulder, then shifting to look at the sky before he released a soft sigh. Midorijima was a peaceful place now; with Toue gone, everything was restored to normal. It was something that they should be celebrating, and definitely something that’s worth celebrating.

He was happy. There’s no doubt about it. But for some reason, he’d persistently feel a sort of hollowness in his heart, as if something was missing, something that existed before the Platinum Jail incident yet something that he’d lost in the process.

It wasn’t something that he could bring himself to explain very well; he couldn’t even understand why he was feeling this way. But his hunches weren’t lies and he was sure that something had happened within this period of time that had sparked this void out of him. Well, he’d always been a worrywart after all. Having the label of being an ‘over-thinker’ sealed on him wasn’t something he wasn’t at all unfamiliar with after all.

Slapping both his hands on his face, he beamed, trying to brush the melancholy air out of him as he started walking again.

If he was to continue sulking like this, he was sure that _he_ would point it out, right at his face, and started making fun of him like he always would.

Come to think about it, it’d been a month since Noiz was discharged from the hospital. Aoba wondered if he’d gotten used to his newfound sensations? He wondered if he’d managed to try things out yet? Has he gotten the chance to eat in that _ramen_ shop around the corner where Heibon was? He wondered if he’d managed to figure out the names of emotions that had been bothering him for a while now?

He wondered if there’s anything else that he could do for Noiz?

And he wondered If he would ever be enough for someone like Noiz, who was obviously _very_ intelligent?

They never put any labels onto the relationship they were sharing now, neither do Aoba ever wanted to apply such a chain on them. They were a natural. They were friends, but maybe a bit more. Boyfriends? Not quite there yet. In short, all Aoba could conclude from the matter between them (after nights after nights of staring at the ceiling, pondering about it) was that they’re simply a pair of not-yet-boyfriends, a relationship that was very much intricate yet honest at the same time. He could never figure out if Noiz shared the same sentiments as he did, and knowing himself, it’d take a very huge stake of his pride to clarify it with Noiz. He definitely didn't foresee himself to be doing it anytime soon.

It’s not like there’s anything he’d like to do now to change things between them anyway; there’s no need for them to have a label so soon. Noiz was still getting used to the world, and he could take however much time he needed before they step into a whole new territory.

He hummed lightly as he strode a familiar route down town, heading towards the far north of the district, where a row of apartments stood. This part of town was a very new discovery of his. He never had a reason to set foot into this part of the town until when Noiz first brought him here, guiding him to his house. It was during that precise moment that had Aoba realizing that their time had finally started moving, that everything was reality and that they’re back to live a normal life, a routine that was a different one from one that he had before he met Noiz. While he knew nothing about the ‘Noiz’ he’d acquainted before the Platinum Jail chaos, he had now started to know him bit-by-bit, putting together the puzzle pieces and properly constructing better impressions of Noiz that could only confirm Aoba of his existence.

He halted in the middle of his walk, pulled his Coil up and typed.

 

> **Aoba**  
>  _I’m near_.

 

He put his Coil away, waiting. It’s five minutes to their promised meetup time and despite knowing that Noiz had never once missed his time, Aoba couldn’t help but contact him. Call it a surprise, or a just-in-case. He couldn't quite tell it himself anyway.

“Ah.”

His Coil rang in the next moment, catching him off guard when he realized it being the ringtone of a call. He was totally expecting a mail. Agitatedly, he pulled it up again, accepting the call.

“Noiz?”

“Wait there,” was all Noiz said before he ended the call, carting a gaudy sigh out of Aoba at the same time.

“Seriously, he could’ve just sent me a text. Was that call necessary?”

“Maybe Noiz didn’t have the patience to type,” Ren commented pithily, sitting in Aoba’s bag.

“Haha, well, it makes sense then if that’s the case.”

He stretched, muscles straining from inappropriate sleeping position from the previous night and letting out a yawn just when he saw someone walking towards his direction.

“Finally,” he grinned in a rabble-rousing manner. “What took you so long?

“I’m on time,” Noiz retorted with a sideway glare.

“Yeah, yeah,” Aoba brushed him away. “So, anyway, what’s your plan for today? I’m expecting good things since you made me take a day off.”

In response, Noiz filched a smirk and, without answering, he started walking, with Aoba hurrying to catch up with his pace.

He’s always like that, engrossed in his very own pace, dragging Aoba along, and, miraculously, before he knew it, Aoba would then find himself already in Noiz’s stream, simply allowing him to do whatever he wanted with him. He wouldn’t say that he was perfectly okay with allowing Noiz towing him all over the place like this but at the same time, he could ratify that everything that he’d ever done with Noiz was stemmed out of genuine curiosity, perhaps the only reason to why he was still letting Noiz get away with most things. The need to know if Noiz had been properly living, if he’d ever gotten used to his brand-new life outstripped every other retort he’d thrown at himself. And, while he had thoughts after thoughts rolling around in his brain, Noiz was already one step ahead, guiding him into his territory, astounding him all the same.

“Hm?”

He trusted Noiz to be a virtuous guide, but he couldn't help but wonder when he set foot into a whole new district, yet another place that he’d never found the reason to venture into. He couldn’t tell if the land he’d just stepped into was a completely new place or if it was simply a reinvigorated land to cater to new needs of the local residents.

Everything felt new to him, though. At one glance, it looked like a flea market, stalls after stalls padded along the route, the pathway they were walking on jam-packed with people of all stages.

He squeezed himself through the sea of people, making sure not to lose sight of Noiz and wanting to take in everything he could see at the same time. It wasn't an easy task, even suffocating. And when he was about to stop walking, just to make sense of the direction, he felt a strong grip on his wrist, looking up just to see Noiz, who had come to stand close to him, bearing a face of nonchalance.

“C’mon,” he said. Without another word, he started walking again, still grasping hard onto Aoba’s wrist.

Aoba couldn’t help but smile. With every passing day, he’d come to understand Noiz a tad better than before. He knew that Noiz was never great with words, but actions were what had said everything that was needed for him. If he squinted hard enough, he’d be able to notice the trifling change on Noiz’s face, his body language suggested of words that’d never made out of his mouth. Sometimes, he wished that he could read minds, but when he found himself being overly invested in attempting to decipher Noiz’s actions, he thought that perhaps this was the reason why he couldn’t read minds in the first place – so that he could understand Noiz better through his own effort.

“Do you need something from here?” he asked. Now that Noiz had safeguarded him, he no longer needed to fear that he’d get lost in the crowd, so he allowed himself to look around. Everything that was lined up on the stalls were items of massive variations. There’s food, decorative items, accessories, and even things that Aoba had never seen before.

He was _sure_ that nothing like this place had ever existed now.

“Yeah,” Noiz responded sketchily, without looking at Aoba. He was walking slower than before now. “This place was set up just three days ago, it’s where foreign merchants drop by to sell goods from their countries.”

“Oh…” He didn't know this kind of system was still practiced in this modern day. He remembered seeing scenes like this in the television, though. So this was how it was, huh?

“So what are you looking for?” Aoba asked, eyes fixed on something that looked peculiarly like a wheel, spiralling in tremendous speed when buttons were pressed.

He got distracted by a bouquet of weird-looking flowers without noticing that Noiz hadn’t been answering his question. It’s until when Noiz stopped walking that he came back to himself, finally focusing his attention on his partner of the day.

“This,” Noiz said. He turned to look at where Noiz was staring. On the stall where Noiz had stopped were multiple variations of ancient-looking boxes. They looked old, brownish, the leather strap holding it in place giving Aoba an impression of antiques that he’d only once caught sight in an old movie.

“Yo, young man, you have good taste,” the owner of the stall – a bearded man in his forties – grinned when Noiz picked one of the boxes up. “These are antiques from the eighties. It’s impossible to find them around nowadays, especially not here.”

The man looked like he’d never slept for days. His voice brusque and garish, he leaned towards Noiz, just so he could point at the small buttons on the box Noiz was holding.

“This is where you activate the flashlight, this is where you can turn it on or off.”

“Does it come with the films too?”

_Films_? Aoba mused. He’d never heard of that term before. He didn't even know what was the item Noiz was holding in his hands.

“Of course! Usually, I’d sell them but for you, young man, I’ll give them to you as a complementary gift.”

“Thanks,” Noiz said unflappably. “I’ll take this then.”

“Thank you, thank you! That’d be 300,000yen.”

“ _300,000yen?!_ ”

“Here you go,” Noiz said, pushing a stack of notes towards the man.

“W-wait, Noiz!” Aoba shrieked.

“Let’s go.”

But all Noiz did was pulling Aoba away once he’s done with the transaction, looking as if he couldn't’ wait to leave the place.

He couldn't believe what had just happened. What was that thing Noiz had just bought in such an off-the-cuff way for such a hefty amount of money? Was Noiz into collecting antiques? He’d never known about this at all; he’d always thought that Noiz was only interested in technological stuff.

It’s when they returned to the familiar street in the Old Resident District that Noiz let him go, finally turning around to look at him properly.

“Let’s find a place to eat,” he said, the facetious gleam still twinkling in his eyes. “What you said about that… _ramen_ shop?”

“ _Ramen_ … oh, yeah! That shop near Heibon.”

“Let’s go there,” Noiz suggested.

“Huh? You haven’t tried it out for yourself?”

“No,” Noiz averted Aoba’s gaze. “Thought of trying with you.”

“Ah… I see.”

That _ramen_ shop Noiz brought up was just around the corner; it’s a shop he’d been a regular of, having delivered his lunch every so often when he worked.

“Okay then,” he said with a meek smile. This time, he held onto Noiz’s hand, conceding the shift of control, then walked them down the path.

“They have very nice food there, not only _ramen_. It’s quite an old shop but I can guarantee you that their food are all top-notch. I love their fried rice, too. The owner was very nice to share his recipe with me, though… of course it’d still take some time for me to finally cook it properly, haha…”

Noiz kept to himself all the time as Aoba waffled away. He knew that Noiz probably couldn't care less about whatever he said about food but it’s pleasant to see Noiz being eager to try new food out for himself so he kept talking, wanting to keep the conversation moving, and not before long, they found themselves standing in front of an old-looking shop.

“Welcome!”

They were immediately greeted by a cheerful voice. With a wave of hand, accompanied by a smile, Aoba came to sit in front of the counter.

“Huh? Aoba-san? I thought you’re not working today.”

“I’m not,” Aoba confirmed. “Bringing a friend to try out your _ramen_ here.”

“Ah, of course!” the man who’d greeted him, a young man in his mid-twenties, smiled lustrously at Noiz. “We have all sort of _ramen_ here. Here you go, the menu. Let us know when you’re ready to order and we'll get them ready for you. How about you, Aoba-san?”

“I’ll take the usual,” Aoba said with a beam, which was responded by the man’s wave of hand.

“Really, try the _ramen_ ,” Aoba nudged on Noiz’s arm.

A thin line appeared in between Noiz’s eyebrows as he scanned through the menu. Aoba could tell that everything was foreign to him and for some reason, it gave him a boost of self-satisfaction upon knowing that he was introducing Noiz to something completely new now.

“This.”

“ _Miso ramen_? Coming right away!”

“Heh, that’s not a bad choice,” Aoba teased.

“It looks the most decent.”

“Decent, huh?” He wanted so much to ask what Noiz meant by decent but he figured that he might not be able to understand even if Noiz _was_ to explain anyway.

“Say, that thing you bought…” Aoba started, finally remembering what he wanted to ask before he got distracted.

“What about it?”

“What’s that? 300,000yen? I don't think I could even make that much of money even if I am to work for a full year.”

“It’s a camera.”

“Camera…?” It’s totally different from the type of camera he was used to, though.

“It’s how a camera looked like from decades ago,” Noiz explicated, sipping insouciantly on his green tea.

“Oh… But why would you need a camera? You don’t have it on your Coil?”

“It does,” Noiz said. “But this is different.”

“How so?”

Noiz merely smirked. “You’ll see.”

Their ephemeral conversation was soon interrupted when their food were served. Noiz grimaced at his bowl of noodles as Aoba ploughed into his own serving of fried rice.

“You really like that, huh?” Noiz said with a sideway glance.

“It’s special,” Aoba replied with a mock. “Go on, try your own food.”

Noiz took his own sweet time with his food. He took the first bite, frowned a tad, before he tried out more of it, having Aoba to stare at him all the while, clearly taking note of his reaction.

“How is it?”

“Taste different from pasta,” Noiz mumbled.

“Of course it tastes different!” Aoba laughed. “This, young man, is our renowned local delicacy. You really need to try more Japanese food when you’re here, you know?”

One more thing added onto the long list of things he wanted to teach Noiz. Perhaps Noiz being unknown to many things wasn’t too bad after all. Perhaps this was where Aoba could step in – to play a part in exposing him to all these new yet old experiences. In return, perhaps Noiz could teach him about things outside of his own world as well, like that overpriced camera. They’re definitely going to experience the time of their life from now on.

 

It certainly didn't seem like Noiz’s idea of a day out today was merely to shop for ancient goods, at least that couldn’t be his sole intention. Soon enough, he found themselves standing between the border separating the Old Resident District with Platinum Jail, having Aoba to cast a inquisitive sideway glance at Noiz’s direction, who simply shrugged.

“Do you… perhaps, have business in there?” Aoba asked warily. He was totally expecting something else. Maybe a restaurant, or maybe, hounding for new gadgets Aoba never knew the names of. And maybe, even just hanging around Noiz’s house, or just rambling around town aimlessly. He was fine with those; the list was definitely within his expectation. But this… it’s been a long time since they visited this place; the one and only time being their last. He never thought that he’d ever return here ever since they’d risked their life escaping from this very place.

“Just a bit,” Noiz said. He stared at the lofty building, paused just for a moment, then toddled into it, while Aoba followed suit, unsure of what else he could expect from this hasty turn of events.

Platinum Jail had been totally overhauled into a completely different place. Now, it was used as a checkpoint for foreigners to stop by for trades, as well as for the local Old Resident District occupants to wind down after a frenetic routine. Despite so, Platinum Jail never lost its glamour. It still carried with it the sumptuous vibe as well as the heavy air stanched out of the weight of history it shouldered. Everyone was free to explore the place now, even though the lifestyle was still noticeably cumbersome in here. While Aoba tried to get used to the nostalgic environment all over again, he couldn't help but feel sentimental over everything his eyes could take in. The groovy green-colour of the buildings, the blinding neon colours splashed across dusky surfaces, and the bizarre, out-of-place fashion sense people who were evidently still residing here carried around with them; everything still felt way too unfamiliar for him but yet, everything felt as if it was a past he’d left behind, now revisiting.

He wondered if Noiz really had something he needed to do here? Perhaps he’d come to find out more about this place after the escape. The Green Playground does feel like a place Noiz would be interested in investigating, anyhow. He sniggered frivolously when he set eyes on Noiz’s appearance, wondering how compatible he actually was with everything else in the place.

With a trifling sigh, he released the weight on his chest. Well, if this is where Noiz would like to spend his day, then there’s no way he could turn him down, can’t he?

“Wait.”

He was about to walk, ready to take his own time netting elements that he couldn’t study the last time they were here, when Noiz stopped him.

“What is it?”

When he turned to look at Noiz, Noiz was fiddling with the ancient camera, pressing on buttons Aoba never knew the functions for, and taking out a small box of what seemed to be rolls of dark paper from his pocket.

“You’re trying this out here?” he asked out of curiosity, all the while staring as Noiz worked the gadget out.

Noiz hummed. He strapped the roll of item into a compartment by the side of the camera, then lifting it up, placing it against his eyes, as if peeking through a hole.

“How do you make it work?” Aoba asked again, still staring with full anticipation.

“Here.” Instead of answering him, Noiz handed the camera over to him. “See that small glass on top? Take a look.”

Aoba did as he was told. He lugged the camera up, imitating Noiz, eyes brightening when he found himself staring into a small window, reflecting scenes around them, with markings on the border for some sort of indication.

“Wow, okay so… this is like… what I’ll capture if I take a picture now, right?” he probed, dumbfounded.

“Yeah,” Noiz said. He placed his hand on Aoba’s, where he was clutching onto the body of the camera, and lifted his index finger, guiding it to where a small button can be found, just near the edge of the camera. “Press this and it’ll capture the picture.”

“But where would the picture go?” Aoba asked again, tilting the camera around, trying to find his first object.

“Remember the roll of things from earlier?” Noiz said, standing in close proximity with Aoba, his hand still on Aoba’s. “They’re called films. When you take a picture, it’ll go there, as negatives. And they’ll need to be developed for them to be clear enough to be seen.”

“Oh.” Honestly, he couldn't quite understand what Noiz was saying but he was way more distracted by the new-fangled idea of capturing pictures, enough for him to ask more questions. “So, basically, they’ll become like, real pictures? Physically?”

“Yeah,” Noiz confirmed. “Physically.”

He thought he could understand it better now. The idea was cool; the way he took pictures with his Coil now was definitely more convenient than if he was to do it this way but he reckoned it’s fun having to try out new things once in a while anyway.

“Okay so, now, if I want to take a picture of, let’s say, that pizza parlour over there,” he started, pointing at a pizza stand not far from where they were standing. “All I need to do is to press this button?”

“Aim it nicely,” Noiz expounded, now with both of his hands on Aoba’s as he motioned Aoba to target the right frame. “If you’re satisfied with what you’re seeing, then you can press the button.”

A flash of light detonated from the camera when he did as he was told, causing him to jump. Noiz, however, chortled at his reaction, before having to face Aoba’s glowering pout.

“It’s a flash, to give you better lighting,” Noiz explicated, taking the camera out of Aoba’s hands at the same time.

“I see,” Aoba responded sarcastically, all the while wearing a sideway glare. “Wait, where’s the picture?”

Noiz raised the camera, waving it a little.

“In here.”

“I can’t check it?” Aoba spelled in disbelief.

“Nope,” Noiz said succinctly.

“What… What if it looks horrible?”

“Too bad then,” Noiz lifted a smirk.

“Oh, c’mon.”

Without another word, Aoba lurched towards Noiz, grabbing onto the camera, then raising it to his eye again.

“What are you doing?” Noiz asked.

“I’m trying to do a good job. Stand still,” Aoba said, pointing the lens at Noiz’s direction.

Noiz, however, averted it, turning his back towards Aoba.

“Cut it off.”

“C’mon!” Aoba laughed. “Just one. I just want to try one more time.”

It took a while but even then, all Noiz did was looking over his shoulder, standing just long enough for Aoba to click on the button, and grunting a little when Aoba returned the camera to him.

“So is this is?” Aoba queried. “Are you here to take pictures?”

“It’s a nice place to try this out,” Noiz said at long last, which Aoba could agree.

“Uhuh. This could be pretty fun,” Aoba grinned. “Where should we start from?”

“There,” Noiz pointed towards a direction heading towards the quieter side of the place.

“Okay then!”

And just like that, with Aoba seizing onto Noiz’s wrist, they tottered towards where Noiz had pointed, all the while with Aoba humming nimble tone of blithe.

The Green Playground no longer felt uncomfortable for him. With every road, every alley they walked on, he was slowly but surely getting more and more familiar with this place. Sure, it wasn’t exactly a place which had jaded the best of memories but it was still, incontrovertibly, a place of significance where change has happened between himself and Noiz. Noiz never mentioned explicitly of where he wanted to head to but he didn’t need to tell for Aoba to discover it himself either.

Not long after, they found themselves standing in front of Glitter, where Noiz had held the camera up again, taking picture of the name plate.

“Do you… really have to…” Aoba muffled.

“What is it?” Noiz conveyed an expressionless mien. Then, with his sideway playful stare, he lifted a smirk. “Reminded of some fond memories?”

“Oh, shut up,” Aoba sneered.

“Don’t think it’s occupied,” Noiz peeked into the window.

“Wait, you’re not thinking about going in, are you?” Aoba’s eyes widened.

“Why not?”

Before Aoba could say anything, Noiz had turned the knob of the door, pushing the door open.

Nothing has changed from the last time they were here either. As if time had stopped in this place, they strolled into Glitter, bristled by nothing but nostalgia. It was the flash from Noiz’s camera that had ultimately heaved Aoba’s attention back to him, turning around just in time to see Noiz taking picture of the couch, much to Aoba’s astonishment.

“I didn’t know you like that couch,” he badgered, walking closer to stand by Noiz’s side.

Noiz, however, perked a smirk at his direction.

“It’s where things happened after all.”

“Ah… ah!”

Feeling heat climbing to the tips of his ears, Aoba quickly looked away, pretending to have gained interest with the clock on the wall instead. Seeing that, Noiz slipped a hand around his waist, swerving his attention back to himself.

“Hey,” he whispered into Aoba’s ear. “There’s only the two of us here.”

“And your point is?” Aoba said through throaty voice, still not meeting Noiz’s gaze.

Noiz licked a flickering trail up Aoba’s ear shell; Aoba could hear the tease in his silent action.

Then, without warning, Noiz’s hand had sneaked up to his chin, tipping his head over so that he could kiss him. He felt Noiz’s lips on his own, biting lightly on his lower lip as he stifled a discreet groan.

This place brought back too many memories between them. It’s a place where Aoba had come to know more about Noiz, but at the same time, it’s also a place which had agonizingly reminded Aoba of how much he never knew about Noiz. Noiz never told him anything back then. He was quick and abrupt with his actions, but his words were the direct contrast to everything Aoba’s naked eyes could see. It wasn't like he’s too much of a difference now from how he was before; he still had Aoba in perfect control, as if every one of his action was meant to catch him off guard. Like now, when he deepened his kiss, Aoba could only allow him to devour his mouth, letting nostalgia hit him like waves as he indulged in the quiet solitary of their encounter. It felt surreal; nothing of this felt real. It’s hard to believe that it’s only been three months since they first met, since when they first got involved with each other, and now, holding each other in their arms like it’s the most natural thing for them to do.

He wondered how things would be different if he hadn’t met Noiz, if Noiz hadn’t been persistent with him? He wondered if he’d ever set foot into this place again, if he’d ever find himself being able to love like how he did?

He sighed quietly, contentedly. The unforeseen turn in his life was never something he’d been expecting but yet, it’s definitely something he’d been intuitively seeking out for.

He was glad that he met Noiz, and he was glad that he’d accepted him, being accepted, all at the same time.

They broke their kiss after what seemed like hours, staring at each other with damped eyes before Aoba broke into chuckles.

“You’re seriously a kiss demon, you know that?” he said, pinching Noiz on the nose.

Noiz smirked.

“Maybe.”

Aoba shook his head then.

“Definitely. Anyway, this is still a public are so any more public display of affection is a no so,” Aoba elevated a devilish grin. “…hang in there, young man.”

Noiz shrugged. As if getting the hint, he walked up the stairs with his camera, leaving Aoba to sit on the couch. He had a feeling that if he was to follow Noiz, Noiz might really lose control. Staying put was the best solution.

He heard the sound of clicking camera, white lights flashing on the corners of his eyes as he glanced around. Now that he thought about it, Noiz hadn’t been changing a lot, even when they were already sharing a relationship closer than before. He was still as reckless as Aoba remembered him to be. The only change that he could notice about Noiz was probably how he felt about him. If he couldn’t leave him alone from before, the urge to look after him was even more so now.

Perhaps… _he_ was the one who’d changed after all. Not Noiz.

“Done?” Aoba asked when Noiz walked down the stairs. With Noiz’s nod, he stood up, adjusting his bag on his shoulder, then taking the lead, walking towards the door.

“Let’s go then.”

They were back on the streets; there were more people hanging around now, reminding Aoba that it’s already late evening, where most people would’ve gotten off work by now.

“Where do you plan to go next?” Aoba asked, looking around. When Noiz didn’t respond, he turned around, finding him staring at a food stall in a distance. Grinning, he grasped onto Noiz’s wrist, hauling him towards the street without another word.

“Isn’t this nostalgic?” he chuckled. “Six _takoyaki_ please.”

“Coming right away!”

“I’m not buying as much as you did the last time,” Aoba casted a playful glance at Noiz’s direction. “Besides, we have dinner later.”

“We do?” Noiz perked a curious eyebrow.

“I told Granny that you’d be coming over. Didn’t you like her cooking?”

Noiz frowned upon his words.

“Ah… sorry, do you have something else to do later?” Aoba hastily asked, feeling bad.

“…Not really,” Noiz said sketchily. He took one box of _takoyaki_ off Aoba’s hands, jabbing on one of them then stuffing it into his mouth.

“Phew,” Aoba sighed in relief. “I asked for donuts too, so no donuts for now,” he ended with another grin.

Noiz merely munched on his food without giving Aoba any response, his expression dismissive, unreadable as usual.

“Hold on, hold on!” Aoba halted his steps when Noiz was about to push one last _takoyaki_ into his mouth. “Give me the camera.”

Despite the palpable peeve on his face, Noiz let Aoba take the camera off his hand, only staring as Aoba lifted it up, directing the lens at him.

“What are you doing?” Noiz grumbled.

“Remembrance,” Aoba beamed. “Noiz and _takoyaki_. Hmm, that would make a good caption.”

Noiz shrugged.

“Look over here. Oh, and, place that _takoyaki_ near to your mouth.”

There’s no way Noiz would do as what Aoba wanted him to so instead of doing that, he flaunted a nonchalant look, his _takoyaki_ remained in the box, as Aoba snapped a picture of him.

“You’re no fun,” Aoba complained.

“Your turn,” Noiz said in response, taking the camera away from Aoba with one hand, the other pushing his box of _takoyaki_ into Aoba’s hands.

“Huh?”

“Make a pose,” Noiz directed, raising the camera. “What you said earlier – look here, act like you’re about to eat the _takoyaki_.”

“…A-are we really doing this?” Aoba said, voice small.

“Who’s the one being all enthusiastic with this whole photo-taking business just now?” Noiz countered.

“Ugh…” He can’t argue with that. But this was really, well, embarrassing.

“C’mon,” Noiz urged.

Swallowing down his throat to contain himself, Aoba opened his mouth slightly, taking the _takoyaki_ close to his lips, and casting a stare in Noiz’s direction, who already had the camera all ready to take a photo of Aoba.

He thought his pride was whacked out of his body along with the flash of the camera.

“Okay, okay, we’re done here!” he pronounced boisterously the moment Noiz arched a mischievous smirk. “Let’s go home! Don’t want Granny to be shouting at us.”

He let it happen again. Noiz had tugged him into his tide again and he, once again, had allowed himself to drown in his pace. But Noiz seemed like he’s having fun so… if that’s the case, then perhaps he could let it go this time then.

Just this time.

 

Dinner with Tae had always been nothing but awkward. Tae had come to figure out how close they’d become ever since the Platinum Jail incident but explaining things to her was still a task beyond his league so he’d told her that Noiz was a close friend, and praying hard that she’d have the rest of the matter figured out by herself.

Despite so, words were less between Noiz and Tae, just the sound of cutleries trouncing against plates as they ate their food. Many times, Aoba would try to initiate some sort of conversation but they’d often end up in cold air so eventually, he gave up, simply letting the air as it was as he focused on his own meal. When they’re done, he offered to clean the dishes, leaving both Noiz and Tae to sit in the living room, silently hoping that it could at least help comforting the air between them.

With strained ears, he could hear slow, quiet conversations from the living room, even when he couldn’t make out what they were talking about. From the very least, when he peered at both of their expressions in between cleaning, he could tell that they weren’t feeling uncomfortable being in each other’s presence, which was a great relief of its own. He heaved a sigh; this kind of thing needed time and time was all they had now. They should be fine.

They should be.

 

“I shouldn't be probing too much about this but…” Rubbing a towel on his head, he walked towards Noiz, who was sitting on his bed, in his room, fiddling with the camera.

“What?” Noiz asked, clamping the shuttle shut and putting the camera aside.

“What… did you talk with Granny?” Aoba asked vigilantly, coming to sit by Noiz’s side. He was simply concerned, that’s all. It’s not like he’s being overly conscious, definitely not that. Noiz was quick to encircle an arm around his waist, the coldness of Aoba’s skin, alongside the water droplets on his hair rubbing chills on Noiz’s own flesh.

“Do you want to know?” he smirked, leaning in to lick the water droplets hanging on the tip of Aoba’s hair.

Aoba fidgeted a tad.

“Just curious,” he admitted.

“Hmm,” Noiz droned instead, as if choosing the right answer for Aoba. “What do you think a grandmother would talk with her future grandson-in-law?”

“W-what?!” Aoba yelped. It’s certainly not a phrase he was expecting to hear. Besides, were they already _that_ close to be discussing about this now? Since when had they become _this_ close? And… didn’t they only know each other for less than half a year?

His life was running on such a rapid pace it’s hard for him to follow up.

“Why are you so surprised?” Noiz drew a slight distance in between them. “You’ve never thought about that?”

“ _Naturally_ ,” Aoba stressed. “I thought we were just—“

“Friends?” Noiz finished his sentence for him.

Aoba remained silent. It felt even more out-of-place now that he’d laid it out like this.

“Friends don’t do this, though,” Noiz said in a hushed tone, closing in again to plant a fleeting kiss against Aoba’s neck.

“Ugh…”

“Or do you think that I’m doing all of these out of _physiological needs_?”

The past felt so far away. None of those crossed Aoba’s mind. But it’s hard for him to deny it out loud, not when he’d noticed the elusive insinuation of anguish in Noiz’s voice. Noiz, despite younger than him, was always one step ahead of him. It’s frustrating, yet there’s nothing he could do about it. They were different, yet similar. Especially in a situation like this, it felt as if Noiz had everything figured out, that he was the only person being left behind, struggling to catch up, stumbling on the way, and when he finally came to walk by Noiz’s side, Noiz would already be taking another step, having Aoba to chase after him all over again. It’s like a vicious cycle; a match he could never win against Noiz.

“Do you think about us?” Noiz asked in a truncated tone, like a whisper.

“Huh?”

“What will happen to us from now on? Are you happy with how we are now?” Noiz clung onto Aoba, both hands draping around his torso as he pecked him delicately on the cheek.

“I’m fine,” Aoba confessed. There’s nothing wrong between them now. Sure, things could be better, but there’s no telling what would happen tomorrow. Wasn’t _now_ the more important moment they should be focusing on? Would it really be sensible to work towards a future they couldn’t tell? Or was there something that has gone wrong that he’d never noticed? Something that was why Noiz was asking him this question now?

“Really?” Noiz hummed. He slipped a hand under Aoba’s shirt, touching ephemerally on the chilliness of his skin, the coarse texture of his palm tickling Aoba.

“Really,” Aoba reiterated mindlessly, trying to suppress his laugh all at the same time.

Noiz let out a trifling drone then, before Aoba noticed that it was actually a chortle.

“You’re so easy to satisfy,” Noiz remarked. Aoba was about to say something; something about how wrong that sounded and that he wasn’t as how Noiz thought he was but Noiz had shut him up with a kiss, his weight fell, his back toppled onto the bed. He returned Noiz’s eager kiss, plunging himself into the guilty ecstasy of happiness, just by being here with Noiz.

Perhaps Noiz was right after all. He was easy to be satisfied; all he ever needed was for Noiz to be here – alive – and for him to be able to feel his skin like this, his warmth, his heartbeats – the very proof of his existence. There was nothing more gratifying than knowing someone whom he’d come to know as one of the most important persons in his world, and for the person to acknowledge and return his feelings in such a vivid way. He never thought he’d fall for someone ever – not Noiz, definitely. But here he was – with Noiz barging into his life when he least expected it, conquering such an important place in his heart when he wasn’t prepared for it at all.

He never wanted for Noiz to be alone. He would never let Noiz be alone again.

That was what he’d promised Noiz.

He kissed him deeper with that thought. Noiz’s tongue piercing hit him on his teeth ever so frequently, creating soft clanking sounds in his mouth. He sucked frivolously on the tip of Noiz’s tongue, remembering how his tongue was the only place where he could feel any sensations at all from before. And while Noiz tried to take his shirt off, he stopped him by gripping onto his wrist, causing them to part their kiss.

“What?” Noiz breathed, impatience obvious.

“Camera,” Aoba responded with equal fervour.

A small frown appeared on Noiz’s face. Despite so, he only watched when Aoba scrambled to grab onto the camera from the side of his bed, his grimace intensified when Aoba raised it up to his face, an upbeat grin plastered on his own mien.

“Let’s take a picture together. We haven’t done that, right?”

He’d been thinking about it but there wasn’t any chance for him to propose so. And, if he was to fall into Noiz’s flow again, he was sure that he’d let the chance slip. It certainly sounded obstinate but he decided that this was the time to make good use of his guts. Who knows when would be the next time he’d be seeing this camera again, anyway? Noiz obviously held a certain extent of reluctance against his suggestion but in the end, he hauled a long, deep breath, shrugging when Aoba sat up and held the camera in front of the both of them.

“How do you do this?” Aoba asked, sloping his head to locate the lens, which was now aimed towards the both of them.

“Luck.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“If it doesn't look nice, then it’s too bad,” Noiz expanded, which wasn’t answering Aoba’s question at all.

“Well,” Aoba declared. “Let’s bet on our luck then.”

He wasn't sure if Noiz was even smiling when he pressed the button. He wasn't sure if he was even doing it correctly. All he knew was that the flash was one of heart-warming when it blinded their vision; it’s as if it’d captured the evidence of them being together, and leaving back more proof that they’d always be together.

“Can we continue now?” Noiz groused as Aoba pushed the camera aside.

“Ah, oh.” How did Noiz expect him to answer that question?

“Do whatever you want then,” Aoba grinned as he cupped Noiz’s face. He’d held him long enough now, there’s no reason for him to push him away anymore. He pushed a kiss towards Noiz’s direction on his own initiative this time, raising his hands just so Noiz could take his shirt off for him. His body was still cold from the shower but having Noiz to touch the nakedness of it brushed warmth over wherever he was touching. In no time, the cold water was replaced by sweat, their actions turned more and more impatient with every passing minute. Noiz took it in such a dawdling, languorous way that it was borderline excruciating for Aoba. Pleasure sparked through his veins, Noiz’s pant fervent on his skin, their breathing heavy, they’re both craving to touch each other.

If there’s one thing that he’d never get used to, it was the fact of how good Noiz’s piercings felt on him and in him. He drew a long breath when those very metal materials dragged along his inner walls, the slipperiness of lube doing nothing of its job. He seized tightly on Noiz’s shoulders when Noiz’s navel piercing hit his balls, his legs spread wide, his breathing, his conscious, everything’s a mess.

“You seem to like my piercings way more than you would ever admit,” Noiz said in between ragged breathing.

“W-what…?” Aoba said in a stupor. He couldn't quite hear what Noiz was saying, his sensations completely overwhelmed by Noiz’s heat in him, not helping when all Noiz did was targeting at spots where he felt it the most.

“You like my piercings,” Noiz said. He swore he heard a chuckle.

“Yes…” he said, completing acting out of instinct.

“And you love me,” Noiz commented again, hitting him hard, deep.

“I… do…” Aoba responded, words seeping like a scattering clutter.

In the midst of pleasure, Noiz’s vague, dim expression invaded his line of sight. He saw a shrill smile, his lime-green pair of eyes daubed with a layer of distinctive lust, but above all, he could see something else beneath those eyes; as if Noiz wanted to ask him something, or to tell him something – or maybe he did, but Aoba was definitely not in the position to interpret anything he said concisely.

The glint of it vanished as hasty as it’d appeared, leaving Aoba confused. When he tried to search for it again, Noiz’s weight had collapsed on him, their chests pressed together, his arms enfolding him in a tight embrace.

“Noiz…?” Aoba called out. He wanted pat his head. He wasn’t sure what’s the matter with Noiz, or if there’s something wrong at all. All he wanted to do was to comfort him, and to remind him that there’s no need for him to live in the dark again. Aoba would be his world now. And Aoba would be the light to his dark castle.

“I’ll make it right.” He heard a small whisper, just right by his ear. “For you. Trust me.”

He wanted to ask Noiz what did he mean by that. He wanted to know what’s bothering Noiz. But Noiz had quickened his thrusts before he could even budge, all the questions he’d wanted to ask came out in the form of unsuppressed moans, distracting him grotesquely before he submitted both his conscious and his body to the powerful pleasure Noiz was giving him.

Maybe he could ask Noiz tomorrow. And maybe this time, they’d be able to talk properly. No more dillydally, just being upfront, all because he didn’t want Noiz to face everything by himself all over again.

 

But he never saw Noiz again tomorrow, and the day after, and after. Many afters. Every time Aoba contacted him, he’d be responded with a brief message enough to tell him that Noiz was engaged with something else. Did Noiz found himself a new job? Or was he caught up with a new interest? They never really shared everything with each other anyway. In fact, Noiz’s actions were always unpredictable. He’s kind of like the wind, coming whenever he wanted, leaving whenever he wanted. Aoba could never catch hold of him. Despite himself being habitually jittery over this very fact, he told himself over and over again to give Noiz space, and that he was in no position to question everything Noiz wanted to do.

He wanted to ask him, though. He _really_ wanted to ask him.

But he didn’t. He couldn’t bring himself to, his fingers stopped before he could press on the send button.

Noiz was an adult. He could do whatever he wanted. He wanted to trust him; there’s no other way. There’s no longer an alternative to this.

Yet, every ounce of faith he held was crushed into dust when he all his calls and mails landed in a voice message, informing him of a discarded contact. And finally, it’s when he went right up to Noiz’s apartment that he realized that Noiz was no longer residing there. He’d moved out.

Noiz had disappeared from Aoba’s life – without telling him.

Aoba used all the methods he could think of to look for him. He wanted to trust Noiz. He wanted to believe that Noiz’s disappearance was done out of his own will, that there’s something distressing him that’d left him with no choice but this abrupt departure.

Noiz would never leave without telling him. Not like this. Did he get into trouble? Was he kidnapped?

Eventually, his frustration turned into worries. He’d lie awake in the middle of the night thinking about Noiz, about them, speculating on reasons of why Noiz had vanished from his life. He spent huge amount of time trying to track him down, and it’s then that he realized that he knew _nothing_ of Noiz. All he ever knew was his name. Noiz. Just Noiz.

There’s nothing he could do.

He should give up. Perhaps it’d be a better release for him to believe that Noiz had dumped him, that Noiz had thought that he was no longer useful to him. Noiz had departed into a new stage of his life, a stage where Aoba wasn’t welcomed – a stage where he didn’t need Aoba. Perhaps it’d be easier to take it that way.

But why… why did it hurt so much just to be reminded of everything that they’d done together? Why did it hurt so much to be reminded of all the promises they made with each other?

Why did it hurt so much just to acknowledge that Noiz was no longer by his side, that he’d forced his way out, just like how he’d forced his way in?

He was at the verge of giving up. All that he ever hoped for was for Noiz to be safe wherever he was, that he was alive, and that this time, he’d find true happiness, even when that very happiness wasn’t meant to be Aoba.

But yet.

_Yet_.

“Huh?”

“What’s the matter, Aoba?” Ren asked, staring upwards as Aoba picked the envelope up from the living room table.

“Ah, no, just a letter.”

It’s weird, though. He didn’t know anyone who’d lived far enough to be sending him letters. As he scrutinized, his eyes widened, his heart did a wild leap.

He knew _absolutely_ _no one_ who would bother sending him a letter.

Then, could this be…

He ran up the stairs, crashing into his room, throwing his bag at one side before he slumped onto his bed, his fingers shaking as he peeled the seal open.

He thought he’d given up, that he’d finally forget Noiz and let him out of his life. But the moment he saw what was inside the envelope, he broke down. He couldn't remember when was the last time he’d cried so hard. His heart felt as if it was being ripped apart, all his emotions overwhelmed him from the inside, taking words away from him.

The stack of photos spread across his bed – photos of Platinum Jail, of him, of Glitter, of him, of the pizza parlour, of him. He found the picture of Noiz with his _takoyaki_ , and found words sinking back into his chest upon seeing the clean, beautiful handwriting written on the back of it – “ _Noiz with takoyaki_ ”.

These were all memories he’d created with Noiz from the last time he met him. He couldn’t find any message, nor any indication of from where this letter was sent to him. Scrambling around, he searched in the midst of the scattered photos, trying to find _one_ photo – just the _one_ photo – he remembered them taking in this very room. It’s the _only_ photo of them together but yet, he couldn't find it.

Noiz must have taken it. It’s cruel. It’s the only memory left of them being together but yet, Noiz took even that away from him.

It’s cruel – he looked so ignorant when they took it, he didn't seem to even care about anything that has happened between them. But yet, he had the guts to snatch the only evidence of their acquaintance away from Aoba. Just like that.

He pressed the photo of Noiz against his chest, trying hard to suppress his sobs but to no avail.

This was all that he’d left of Noiz – the only proof that once, even if just for a heartbeat, everything was perfect.

He didn't know how long he would ever be able to let Noiz go for real. But there must be a reason to why he couldn’t now. And he wanted to trust that hunch of his.

Because despite everything that had happened, he _still_ wanted to trust Noiz.

That’s what he’d decided, even when everything that Noiz had left for him were memories, handwritten captions, and nothing but a _06.13_ note written on the back of the envelope – the day when he’d sent this letter out to Aoba.

 


End file.
